North Korean Students Dominate Hacking Competition, Raising Cybersecurity Concerns

North Korean Students Sweep Online Hacking Contest, Raising Cybersecurity Concerns.

NORTH KOREA — State media reports that computer science students from Pyongyang's Kim Chaek University of Technology won top honors in a recent online hacking competition hosted by San Francisco-based company HackerEarth, renewing concerns about the regime's use of programming skills for illicit cyber activity.

While some experts note that participating in such contests can also help students develop positive applications, many worry about North Korea's history of using cybercrime to support its military and economic agendas.